Sadist jailed for 17 years for raping and degrading two women

A DRUG-FUELLED sadist has been jailed for 17 years for raping, beating and degrading a Bradford woman after repeatedly violating a previous girlfriend.

Ashley Barber, 26, attacked his victim in her Bradford home on July 22 last year after laughing at her and threatening to suffocate her with a pillow, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He forced her into a submissive "handcuff position", slapped her, spat on her and rubbed his sweat into her before raping her.

The court heard during Barber's two week trial that he turned to internet pornography and cannabis when he tired of his first girlfriend, who lives in Midlands.

Barber because obsessed with increasingly violent sexual experimentation. He bought sex toys and began to dominate the woman, who initially went along with his demands because she loved him.

Barber was found guilty by the jury of raping the woman three times as part of a course of conduct from January 2010 until December 2011.

On one occasion, she cried as he beat her with a paddle until her bottom bled.

Judge John Potter told Barber: "You used her as a sexual object on which you could violently carry out your sexual desires. It was violence for your sole gratification."

Barber was arrested for the repeated rapes after his victim found out that the Bradford woman had reported him to the police for raping her.

Like his first victim, she had at first gone along with his demands for sex with bondage because she loved him.

Barber, of Stockbrook Street, Derby, was convicted of one charge of raping the Bradford woman.

The case was adjourned until today for the preparation of a probation report with an assessment of dangerousness.

The court heard Barber had a previous conviction for battery on his first victim.

He was held in custody throughout the trial and stood impassively in a grey sweatshirt, hands clasped in front of him, as sentence was passed.

Judge Potter said: "Mr Barber, you have shown not a shred of remorse."

He must sign on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life and the judge made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order banning him from having any contact with his victims.

After the case, Detective Sergeant Suzanne Hall, of the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, said: "Barber carried out repeated sex attacks and physical assaults against his victims, which must have been harrowing ordeals for them.

"We would like to thank them for their courage in coming forward and reporting his crimes, and we hope the lengthy sentence which has been passed down today will help to give them some comfort.

"We also hope it will encourage other victims to come forward and speak to our specially trained officers, who will investigate all reports of sexual abuse thoroughly and sensitively, with the intention of bringing the offenders to justice."

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